Big Screen the event formerly known as Movie-Con is going to be huge! Today I received official confirmation "that major motion picture studios such as Sony Pictures UK, Warner Bros. and 20th Century Fox have come on board to participate in the highly anticipated live movie event of the summer.

Scheduled to take place the weekend of 12-14 August, Empire presents...BIG SCREEN brings the best of Hollywood to The O2, London with a behind-the-scenes look at the movie world.

The unprecedented event will feature exclusive preview screenings, Q&A sessions and master classes with actors and filmmakers, giving ticket holders the opportunity to see the best that Hollywood has to offer, up close and personal, before anyone else.

Amongst those showcasing their upcoming films at the event will be Walt Disney Studios, Universal and Paramount Pictures.

Empire Presents Big Screen

From an earlier email:

This summer sees the debut of a hugely exciting new movie event in the UK as The O2 in London plays host to the inaugural Empire Presents...BIG SCREEN from August 12 - August 14.

It will be a mammoth experience that will include movie previews and sneak peeks, live appearances by filmmakers and talent, masterclasses, a showcase of film studios, memorabilia and the latest technology, plus a live-action Special FX arena.

Providing rare behind the scenes access to the world of filmmaking, Big Screen will bring Hollywood to London! This engaging, exciting and entertaining experience is perfect for film fans and families alike.”

This is bittersweet as it looks like the the intimate & personal Movie-Con experience is sure to be lost with the move to Big Screen. On the other hand, it looks like Big Screen is shaping up to be the seminal event of the cinema calendar.

Late 2011 and 2012 landmarks include: The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn (from Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson), Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, Sherlock Holmes 2 and The Hobbit. As James Bond, Batman and Superman are also set to return to our screens in their biggest adventures yet 2011/2012's movies are set to be bigger than ever.

Hopefully that's an early taster of what we will get to experience at Big Screen. If you haven't already I suggest you head over to See tickets an get a priority booking ticket for Big Screen . This will allow you to get a preview of the Big Screen line up when it is announced, so you can decide if you want to pay for a full ticket later on.

I'll try add more info to this post as it's announced, but don't expect too much as Empire are very good at keeping things secret.